Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Note 9 - Stockholders' Equity

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Note 9 - Stockholders' Equity
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Notes to Financial Statements  
Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

9.

Stockholders equity

 

The Company had 300,000,000 shares authorized and 74,519,103 and 72,222,661shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, with a par value of $0.001 per share.

 

The Company had 10,000,000 shares authorized and 15,617 shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 2021. Preferred stock has a par value of $0.001 per share, and consists of the following tranches:

 

 

Series A Convertible, 85 shares issued and outstanding at  December 31, 2022 and 2021

 

Series B Convertible, 4,026 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2022 and 2021

 

Series C Convertible, 3,506 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2022 and 2021

 

Series D Convertible, 3,000 shares issued and outstanding at both December 31, 2022 and 2021

 

Series E Convertible, 5,000 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2022 and 2021

 

Common Stock

 

Each share of the Company’s common stock is entitled to one vote and all shares rank equally as to voting and other matters. Dividends may be declared and paid on the common stock from funds legally available therefor, if, as and when determined by the Board of Directors.

 

Preferred Stock

 

The Company has issued multiple series (Series A through E) of preferred stock to certain entities affiliated with Biotechnology Value Fund, L.P., or BVF. In each case, each share Preferred Stock is convertible into 1,000 shares of the Company's common stock (subject to adjustment as provided in the Certificate of Designation for each series) at any time at the option of the holder, provided that the holder is prohibited from converting the Preferred Stock into shares of the Company's common stock if, as a result of such conversion, the holder, together with its affiliates, would own more than 9.99% of the total number of shares of Common Stock then issued and outstanding, or the Beneficial Ownership Limitation. The holder may reset the Beneficial Ownership Limitation to a higher or lower number, not to exceed 19.99% of the total number of common shares issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to a conversion, upon providing written notice to the Company. Any such notice providing for an increase to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will be effective 61 days after delivery to the Company.

 

Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D and Series E Preferred Stock rank senior to the Company’s common stock; senior to any class or series of capital stock of the Company created after the designation of and specifically ranking by its terms as junior to the five series of Preferred Stock; in parity with each other and with any class or series of capital stock of the Company created after the designation of and specifically ranking by its terms as in parity with the existing five series of Preferred Stock; and junior to any class or series of capital stock of the Company created after the designation of and specifically ranking by its terms as senior to the existing five series of Preferred Stock. In the event of the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, subject to the rights of holders of, holders are entitled to receive a payment equal to $0.001 per share of Preferred Stock pursuant to the rights and preferences discussed above, plus an additional amount equal to any dividends declared but unpaid on such shares. However, if the assets of the Company are insufficient to comply with the preceding sentence, then all remaining assets of the Company shall be distributed ratably to holders of the shares of the existing five series of Preferred Stock.

 

For each series of Preferred Stock, the Company designated the requisite number of shares of its authorized and unissued preferred stock as a specific series of Preferred Stock and filed a Certificate of Designation with the Nevada Secretary of State.

 

Shares of Preferred Stock generally have no voting rights, except as required by law and except that the consent of holders of a majority of the then outstanding Preferred Stock is required to amend the terms of the Certificate of Designation for each respective series of Preferred Stock. Holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to receive any dividends payable to holders of the Company's common stock subject to the rights and preferences discussed above, in each case, as to distributions of assets upon the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up whether voluntarily or involuntarily and/or the right to receive dividends.

 

Series A Preferred Stock

 

In June 2016, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement for a private placement of the Company’s securities with a select group of institutional investors, or the 2016 PIPE. The 2016 PIPE sale transaction, by the Company, consisted of 8,188,804 units at a price of $2.015 per unit for gross proceeds, to the Company, of approximately $16.5 million. After deducting for placement agent fees and offering expenses, the aggregate net proceeds from the private placement was approximately $15.3 million. In connection with the 2016 PIPE, the Company issued 3,225,804 shares of common stock and 4,963 shares of Series A Preferred Stock to the 2016 PIPE investors.

 

Series B Preferred Stock

 

On January 30, 2019, the Company and certain entities affiliated with Biotechnology Value Fund, L.P., or BVF entered into an exchange agreement pursuant to which BVF agreed to exchange an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock owned by BVF for an aggregate of 5,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock.

 

Series C and 2019 Private Placement

 

In November 2019, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement for a private placement, or the Purchase Agreement with a select group of institutional investors, including lead investor BVF as well as existing and new investors, or Investors. The private placement consisted of 9,014,960 units, at a price of $3.55 per unit, or the Financing, for gross proceeds of approximately $32.0 million, and net proceeds to the Company of approximately $31.0 million. Each unit consists of (i) one share of the Company’s common stock, or Common Shares, or 0.001 shares of non-voting Series C convertible preferred stock, or Series C Preferred Shares, and together with the Common Shares, or Shares, and (ii) one immediately-exercisable warrant to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock with an exercise price of $7.10, or Exercise Price.

 

If (i) the initial public disclosure of the phase 2a Study of PRS-060/AZD1402 that includes the “p” value achieved for the primary endpoint of such study reveals top-line data on the primary efficacy endpoint in the phase 2a Study with a “p” value below 0.05 (i.e., p < 0.05) in at least one dose level; and (ii) the 10-day volume weighted average stock price commencing on the trading day immediately after the initial public disclosure is at least three percent more than the Exercise Price, ((i) and (ii), collectively, the “Performance Condition”), then the warrants will be exercisable for a period of 60 days from the date of the initial data disclosure and may only be exercised for cash. Otherwise, the warrants will be exercisable for a period of five years from the date of issuance, or Exercise Date. If the Performance Condition has not been met and the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock immediately prior to the Expiration Date was greater than the Exercise Price, then the warrants shall be automatically deemed exercised on a cashless basis on the Expiration Date.

 

Upon issuance, each Series C Preferred Share included an embedded beneficial conversion feature as the market price of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of issuance of the Series C convertible preferred stock was $3.43 per share. As a result, the Company recorded the intrinsic value of the beneficial conversion feature of $2.8 million as a discount on the Series C convertible preferred stock at issuance. As the Series C Preferred Shares are immediately convertible upon issuance and do not include a stated redemption date, the discount was immediately accreted as a deemed dividend.

 

Series D Preferred Stock Conversion

 

On March 31, 2020, the Company and certain entities affiliated with BVF entered into an exchange agreement pursuant to which, on April 1, 2020, BVF exchanged an aggregate of 3,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock owned by BVF for an aggregate of 3,000 shares of Series D Preferred Stock.

 

Series E Preferred Stock Conversion

 

On May 20, 2021, the Company and certain entities affiliated with BVF entered into an exchange agreement pursuant to which, BVF exchanged an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock owned by BVF for an aggregate of 5,000 shares of Series E Preferred Stock.

 

Open Market Sales Agreement

 

In August 2019, the Company entered into a sales agreement with Jefferies LLC pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell shares of its common stock, from time to time, up to an aggregate gross sales proceeds of $50.0 million (the 2019 ATM Program). In August 2021, the 2019 ATM Program expired, and the Company established a second ATM offering program, or the 2021 ATM Program, under the existing sales agreement with Jefferies LLC, pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, from time to time, up to an aggregate amount of gross sales proceeds of $50.0 million. In November 2022, the sales agreement was amended to provide for an increase in the aggregate offering amount, such that under the 2021 ATM Program, as amended, the Company may offer and sell shares of its common stock, from time to time, up to an aggregate amount of gross sales proceeds of $75.0 million. The 2021 ATM Program, as amended, is offered under a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 that was filed with and declared effective by the SEC in August 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company sold 2.1 million shares for gross proceeds of $7.2 million under the 2021ATM program at an average stock price of $3.46. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company sold 8.2 million shares for gross proceeds of $39.7 million under both ATM programs at an average stock price of $4.85.